Registered Quirk: Open Heart
by liketolaugh
Summary: Inko liked to say that Izuku had always, in a way, had his quirk. From the time he was born, she told him, he'd cried when others cried, laughed when others laughed, and had a way of knowing when something was wrong. Sometimes when she was upset, he'd tug on her skirt, smile, and say, "Happy please!"
1. Chapter 1

**A/N: Hey! *wave* Here I am, with yet another WIP. All this fandom-hopping is really bad for my progress. *laugh* Enjoy!**

 **Title: Registered Quirk: Open Heart**

 **Author: liketolaugh**

 **Rating: T**

 **Pairings: None**

 **Genre: Friendship/Adventure**

 **Warnings: None**

 **Summary:** **Inko liked to say that Izuku had always, in a way, had his quirk. From the time he was born, she told him, he'd cried when others cried, laughed when others laughed, and had a way of knowing when something was wrong. Sometimes when she was upset, he'd tug on her skirt, smile, and say, _"Happy please!"_**

 **Disclaimer: I don't own BNHA.**

* * *

"It's extremely uncommon, but not unheard of," the doctor told his mother, waving in Izuku's direction.

Izuku stayed quiet, eyes wide; he could taste something warm like caramel and hear something low like a drumbeat, and instinctively he knew that one was his mother's anticipation and the other was the doctor's tiredness. (He could feel them both, too, so why did he taste and hear them?)

It was new and novel and he was so, so excited. He wondered what he could do with a quirk like this. Maybe he could find people in danger faster!

"Your husband is a fire-breather, correct?" the man continued.

The caramel on his tongue curdled so that Izuku's breath hitched, and his head jerked toward his mother, worried. Inko glanced at him and squeezed his hand reassuringly, and in a few moments the bad thought slid away and Inko was happy again. Izuku grinned at her and squeezed back.

"Yes, that's right," Inko nodded, returning her attention to the doctor. "And I'm a minor telekinetic. I can't imagine where Izuku's quirk came from."

"A random mutation," the doctor concluded, head lifting to meet her eyes. "Empathy is considered a telepath-variant; I'll direct you to that office to get his quirk assessed." His mouth curved into a smile, reassuring and slight, and the drumbeat picked up a little so it sounded almost cheerful. "Empathy is a fairly rare quirk. Your son will have plenty of job opportunities in the future. Just make sure he knows how to take care of himself, hm?"

Izuku tilted his head, confused. What did the doctor mean?

Inko smiled gratefully and dipped her head. "Of course," she said resolutely, dense and sweet. "Thank you, doctor. Is there anything else?"

"Think about what you want to call it," the doctor said easily, eyes glittering; the drumbeat shifted to a buzzy hum. "That's the best part of this, isn't it?"

Inko laughed, and a moment later, Izuku did, too, high and cheerful and happy.

* * *

"Now that we speak of it, Midoriya Izuku wishes to enter Yuuei as well, doesn't he?"

* * *

Izuku wasn't surprised when Bakugou slammed both hands on his desk, but he still went reeling backward, eyes darting up to take in the other boy hesitantly and breath whooshing out of his chest painfully.

Bakugou's mouth was twisted in a scowl, a crackle of rage that seared the back of Izuku's throat with a taste like wasabi. His two friends lingered behind him, smirking and smug.

Instantly, it was too much, too loud, too strong. Izuku didn't like spicy tastes.

"We're not done," Bakugou hissed, tiny explosions singing the desk under his hands. Izuku flinched. "You think you can sweep this out from under me, Deku? How fucking weak do you think I am?" He tipped his head and scowled at Izuku, eyes flashing, and a moment later, he leaned forward, into Izuku's space. "Am I serious, Deku?"

Bakugou was always serious, with things like this.

Izuku nodded quickly, cringing away. A dull roar, unrelated to his quirk, started to rush through his ears, and he avoided the other boy's gaze. "Y-y-ye-"

"Fucking bet," Bakugou spat, metaphorical sparks flying off of him. His eyes bored into the top of Izuku's head, and the dull sound of resentment vibrated between them, unspoken. "This isn't your fucking place, Deku! It never fucking is!"

 _"What's wrong?"_

 _"None of your stupid business!"_

Izuku dropped his gaze and swallowed, tears gathering in his eyes. His shoulders shook, and his chest ached with the effort to breathe evenly. He wanted to speak. He wanted to ask why Bakugou felt so threatened. Why he was almost-

"Look at you!" Bakugou added, audibly disgusted. "You're fucking crying _again!_ You think you can handle yourself in a fight?"

Afraid.

Izuku didn't reply this time, throat tight, and with another spit of disgust, Bakugou straightened up and pulled away.

"Don't even try it, useless stupid Deku!"

Izuku reached for his notebook and hugged it to his chest, breath hitching as he tried to wrest it back under his control, heartbeat too fast and too loud and tears on his cheeks-

Izuku didn't leave the classroom for another half hour.

* * *

Citrus juice, a loud and steady thrum like a trumpet, and pride; All Might's vivid emotions drove away the echo of the slime villain faster than Izuku could have imagined, and he was left breathless in a very different way.

And he was sorry, really, for clinging onto All Might when he was clearly reaching the end of his patience, the man's anxiety curling like a bitter orange on his tongue, but he had to ask. If he didn't take this one chance to ask, he would never forgive himself.

 _Around all that fear? Did you think that through?_

 _Useless in a fight._

 _You're crying all the time anyway!_

 _Anything else, Izuku. Anything else at all._

"My quirk is called Open Heart," he blurted to All Might's turned back, feeling his own heartbeat speed up as the man walked away. The man stopped. "It's an empathy quirk, with- without any offensive or defensive applications. Even- even with a quirk like that, c-can I still be a hero? Can I still be like you?"

The man hesitated, and Izuku held his breath, squeezing his eyes shut. _Please. Please._

And then Izuku coughed on a burst of black pepper, eyes popping back open in his surprise while one hand lifted to cover his mouth. "All Might..?"

It wasn't the pain that Izuku felt. Pain was a physical sensation, like cold or itchiness. But there was always an emotional response, like an echo, and Izuku could recognize that. And he could feel that All Might was hurting, and alarmed, and frustrated, and Izuku remembered that everyone was human, even All Might.

Worry rising, he tried to squint through the swirling smoke, and in short order it cleared away and revealed a man – just a man, a skinny one, hunched over and emaciated, with eyes that seemed to glow even in their hollow sockets.

Izuku's throat closed, because his quirk didn't lie and that was All Might, casting off emotions with the same tone, the same taste.

"All Might?" he repeated, breathless and frightened, and then, on instinct, "What's wrong?"

The man laughed, as hollow as the dips in his face. What had happened? Why was, why was All Might-?

A long moment passed.

"An empath, eh?" All Might murmured at last, his legs folding under him as he eased onto the ground. Subconsciously, Izuku matched the movement, tears of worry stinging at his eyes already. "What do you sense from the man without fear now, I wonder?"

Izuku bit his cheek, unsure, and wanted to scoot forward, but- _All Might._ "Pain. Frustration." He hesitated, and the man's head dipped. "You're ashamed."

All Might grinned, more like a grimace. "The hero who saves people with a smile, ashamed," he scoffed, bitter. Before Izuku could reel back and apologize, he reached down and pulled up his shirt, and Izuku gasped quietly, the tears in his eyes spilling over onto his cheeks. All Might's shame rose in pitch, and a second, lower whine of resolution joined it. "This is a wound I got five years ago, from a villain. Half my respiratory system was destroyed, my stomach is gone. I'm emaciated, haggard, and I've been through surgery after surgery but I can still only do hero work for about three hours a day now."

"Five years ago- Toxic Chainsaw?" Izuku asked hesitantly, swallowing around the lump in his throat. But he'd been so sure that fight had gone well for All Might-

Surprise and amusement spiked in All Might simultaneously. "You know your subject well," he said dryly. "I wouldn't have let him get me down, though. No, this- this was a different fight." He lifted his head and fixed Izuku with a serious look, and Izuku froze, intimidated. All Might's shame faded away; his resolution grew louder. "As the Symbol of Peace who saves people with a smile, I cannot give any ground to the forces of evil. If I laugh, it is to distract me from the fear I feel."

His pride returned, heavy and dense on Izuku's tongue this time, but still tinged with citrus.

"Heroes spend every day surrounded by fear, by desperation, pain, guilt, and worse," All Might continued, serious and solemn, face painfully haggard. "You would go after villains, who take joy in pain and might be filled with rage or betrayal. For an empath, I suspect it would be just- too much." He sighed. "You're already crying, but it is just me here. A battle would be much worse."

 _Mom says it's okay to cry,_ Izuku thought, and bit the thought off viciously, his cheeks wet and his body trembling slightly. "Oh."

Pity. Izuku registered it distantly, burnt and sour.

"A quirk like yours has many other applications," the man offered, sounding tired. "You could help people as a counselor, or be a good teacher. You could even be a policeman if you wished."

Izuku tried to respond, but his voice failed him. All Might got up and started towards the door.

As he reached the door, he paused.

"It is not a bad thing to dream. But you need to know your limits."

And he left.

* * *

 ***smile* It's a little rushed, I know, but I'm fairly excited about this and I have a _strong_ interest in empath AUs in general. For now- thanks for reading, and please review!**


	2. Chapter 2

**A/N: Hey! *grin* A little earlier than y'all were probably expecting another new chapter, but here we are.**

 **Thank you to h561, YoseiOfTheWest, Nathaniabp, KuroNeko246, kylC, Addles28, Just A random box, leafpool5, and Gokuu the Carrot for reviewing!**

 **Title: Registered Quirk: Open Heart**

 **Author: liketolaugh**

 **Rating: T**

 **Pairings: None**

 **Genre: Friendship/Adventure**

 **Warnings: None**

 **Summary:** **Inko liked to say that Izuku had always, in a way, had his quirk. From the time he was born, she told him, he'd cried when others cried, laughed when others laughed, and had a way of knowing when something was wrong. Sometimes when she was upset, he'd tug on her skirt, smile, and say, _"Happy please!"_**

 **Disclaimer: I don't own BNHA.**

* * *

Izuku hugged his notebook to his chest numbly, drifting through the crowd vaguely in the direction of home. Around him, on the edge of awareness, the emotions of passersby shifted and flowed – an island of chirping adoration here, someone on the edge of tears there, echoes of emotion rippling out as people around them took note and reacted.

Izuku himself was flushed with humiliation, and he knew people were noticing; flecks of dull-sweet concern passed every few moments, fading in seconds.

He'd never seriously considered being anything but a hero. He'd heard every warning a thousand times – empaths with compassion fatigue, or who had nervous breakdowns because their chosen profession was too stressful. He had dismissed every one of them. He was so _sure_ of himself, sure that he _could._

But if All Might didn't think so- and All Might would know better than anyone, wouldn't he?

 _I don't have any other ideas,_ Izuku thought helplessly, clenching his hands against his chest.

 **Boom.**

The distant sound of an explosion jerked Izuku out of his reverie, and he straightened up abruptly, swiveling around in time to catch sight of a plume of smoke, already blowing away.

A fight, he could-

Izuku bit his cheek. Not if he wanted to move on, he couldn't.

He shook his head roughly and started walking again, reaching up to rub tears out of his eyes absently. _You have to know your limits,_ All Might had said. But what did that mean? What were his limits supposed to be? What could he be, if he couldn't be a hero? Did he really not have a clear idea of what he could- He realized he was mumbling and closed his mouth, face heating up further.

Eventually, he slowed to a stop at the back of a thick crowd and lifted his head. Distantly, he registered the fire, the leaping heroes, the buzzing awe and acrid worry of the crowd- he'd come to the fight without realizing it, out of habit.

For a moment, he hesitated, and then he tipped his head up and looked forward further. His eyes widened, his hands clapping over his mouth as he caught the burnt-spicy-bitter taste of the slime villain's ambition.

How had he gotten here? How had he gotten awa-

Oh. _Oh._ When he'd- grabbed onto All Might, he must have-

 _Oh no._

But it was okay, _someone_ would help, there was-

There was All Might's ringing two-toned shame, so he was here but not _helping,_ and faint-spice wariness from the other heroes, skirting the edges of the fight. And, and-

Terror and desperation, searing like a sour candy eaten on a dare. _Kacchan._

Before he knew it, he was running, pushing through the crowd desperately. He needed to help Bakugou. He was _never_ scared like this-

Izuku thought as quickly as he could, running through his options. His quirk was no help, his hands couldn't tear at the villain, the people shouting after him would not follow- He slipped his backpack off his shoulders and threw it at the slime villain's eye.

It was enough, for a moment. The slime villain cringed back and unfurled, and some of the sour flavor faded as Bakugou arched and gasped for breath.

And then he turned to snarl at Izuku, eyes wild. _"Why are you here?"_ he demanded, voice rough and hoarse.

Izuku lost his breath for a moment, eyes on Bakugou's, and then he lurched forward, scrabbling at the slime. "You're scared," he gasped out, rattled and shaky and tear-streaked. "You're scared, you're scared-"

 _"Shut your fucking-"_ Bakugou choked as the slime villain got back to suffocating him, and Izuku cried out, his fingers sliding uselessly through the mud.

"I've almost finished!" the slime villain bellowed, rearing back and one hand bursting from the muck towards Izuku. "Step _back,_ tick-"

Alarm rang deafeningly from every side, and Izuku was frozen, hands still dripping with mud, watching the slime villain swipe at him-

And then All Might, in full muscle form, swept in, grabbed the slime villain by the arm, and, seemingly without effort, drove his fist into the ground and splattered the muck-body everywhere. (Izuku thought he said something, but he couldn't hear him. Something else was roaring, pride and interest-)

A few moments later, it started to rain, and Izuku realized he was crying.

He pushed himself up, and the fear and alarm around them began to fade, while reproach and relief crept in. Someone was talking, but he couldn't hear them.

Before he could think better of it, he got up and ran.

A few streets away, in an area mostly clear of people, he came to a stop and plopped on the street, gasping for breath as he tried to get himself under control. His cheeks were plastered with tears, his face probably splotchy and flushed, and something in his head ached.

All Might was right. He was so _stupid_ for thinking he could do this. He was just too _weak-_

A large hand settled on his back and he started, craning his neck.

All Might was there, giving him the same broad smile.

"I am here," he said proudly, practically gleaming.

Izuku stared at him, and after a long and awkward pause, managed to say, "A-All Might, w-weren't you surrounded by reporters? How did you…?"

"I can avoid them if I want to!" All Might assured him, patting his back. Izuku turned bright pink. "After all, I am All Mi-"

He cut himself off with a cough and, abruptly, deflated, his tight clothes becoming baggy again as his muscles gave way to emaciation. Black pepper burst across the back of Izuku's throat, and he coughed on a hiccup, turning his gaze away in embarrassment.

"I- I'm sorry for…" He trailed off, but picked up again with determination. He wouldn't get another chance like this, probably. "For making you drop the slime villain, before."

"Ah." All Might cleared his throat and wiped his mouth, and then continued, "Don't worry, my boy. Actually, I wanted to apologize as well, for underestimating you."

"I've cried at least eight different times today," Izuku said before he could think better of it. Immediately, he clapped both hands over his mouth and turned bright pink, tears pricking at his eyes _again._

Luckily, All Might didn't seem to think much of it; he laughed aloud, a very different sound in this form. "That may be so! But all the same, you did what no one else in that crowd did."

Izuku went still.

"Four different heroes in that crowd, and it was you, a shy and crying boy with no real combat skills, sensing the fear of the child in the villain's grasp, who acted on it." All Might gave Izuku a grin, citrus pride flowing off of him hand-in-hand with a faint ring of self-recrimination. "Do you know what most top heroes have in common, when you go all the way back to their roots?"

Hesitantly, Izuku shook his head.

All Might held out an arm and flexed it, as if for effect. "It is these words: 'my body moved by itself!'"

Both hands still over his mouth, Izuku curled them into fists, feeling the tears wet them again.

"Does this sound familiar?"

"Yes," Izuku whispered, unable to look away from All Might's eyes and the ting-ring of triumph around him.

"Then you can become a hero," All Might said, with not an ounce of doubt in his emaciated body.

Izuku tried to speak; his mouth formed words but made no sound, and All Might let him sit, still watching, serious and certain. After a long moment, All Might continued.

"In fact, there are several heroes with quirks that are not combat-oriented," All Might said, tipping his head back to observe the sky. Izuku jerked his head away belatedly, fixing his eyes on the ground. "You may need to take an indirect route, through the general studies department, but it has been done."

Izuku tried again, but his throat was too tight. All Might did not appear to notice.

"However, there is another way," he said. Izuku stopped again, tilting his head slightly and taking a moment to pick through taste and sound – gravy-dense pensiveness, copper-tinged resolve, the wistfulness of old men and a low hum of trust. "Meet with me again in two days, here."

Izuku opened his mouth, closed it, and then said, helplessly, "Okay?"

"That's the spirit, my boy."

* * *

Izuku was almost home when Bakugou found him.

As soon as he caught sight of him, he stopped dead, and Bakugou – alone, at the moment, so he wouldn't be as bad – caught up to him, mouth set in a deep scowl. Izuku tensed, wary, but waited.

Bakugou stopped in front of him and glared for a long moment, breathing hard. Izuku dropped his gaze to the ground and opened his mouth slightly, as if that would help him work out what was going on in Bakugou's mind.

It only took a moment – anxiety, frustration, resentment, agitation, each with their tiny variations and fluxes.

Izuku had known Bakugou since they were three years old. Bakugou knew what he was doing when he approached Izuku. He could read him like an open book.

"You stupid bleeding heart," Bakugou spat at last, glaring holes into Izuku. "I didn't need your fucking help, Deku! I could've handled it!"

Izuku bristled a little, frustrated. Bakugou didn't even bother saying he hadn't been afraid; he knew better than most how reliable psych quirks were. "You were suffocating, Kacchan, and your explosions weren't doing anything!" he argued. "And you knew it, you were-"

"All heroes get scared," Bakugou cut him off, voice rising in chili-pepper anger. "Everyone gets scared, but heroes can _handle it,_ you got that, Deku? That's what makes 'em heroes! _No one knows it!"_

"But they have friends," Izuku countered, studying Bakugou's shirt and pushing down his own distress. "They have teammates-"

"I don't need your fucking friendship," Bakugou snapped, cutting him off _again._

Izuku was tired, and he was confused, and Bakugou was too loud in every way possible. He reached into his pocket and stormed forward, and as he passed Bakugou by, he pushed a little rice candy into his hand, not even needing to look to know that Bakugou had curled his hand around it instinctively.

Izuku wanted to go home.

* * *

 **There! *beam* Divergence from canon already (rly early for me!) and a much better look at Bakugou and Izuku's relationship than we got from last chapter. Thanks for reading, and please review!**


	3. Chapter 3

**A/N: And this chapter we go _off the fucking rails,_ be warned. (I'm probably being dramatic but w/e, I'm anxious about it lmao.)**

 **Thank you to Addles28, Wonderland Tea Party, Necrodragon2020, leafpool5, MIKE202303, Title Unwanted, AllArtAnimeLover, and Anonymonymous for reviewing!**

 **Title: Registered Quirk: Open Heart**

 **Author: liketolaugh**

 **Rating: T**

 **Pairings: None**

 **Genre: Friendship/Adventure**

 **Warnings: None**

 **Summary:** **Inko liked to say that Izuku had always, in a way, had his quirk. From the time he was born, she told him, he'd cried when others cried, laughed when others laughed, and had a way of knowing when something was wrong. Sometimes when she was upset, he'd tug on her skirt, smile, and say, _"Happy please!"_**

 **Disclaimer: I don't own BNHA.**

* * *

The day Izuku was meant to meet All Might fell on a Saturday, and Izuku woke up in a mess of nerves and excitement that made him tremble and start. Less than halfway through his morning routine, his face was flushed with embarrassment, but he was still smiling to himself, small and twitchy.

He still didn't know what All Might wanted from him, but he was so serious, and he'd said it had to do with Izuku's future as a hero too. Did he have some other secret, or a place to train? There wasn't nearly enough data on All Might's appearances to accurately conclude where the man actually spent his time, he always seemed to be everywhere, which was of course appropriate for a professional hero who spent time on patrol-

"You're mumbling, Izuku."

Inko's voice was fond, with brown-sugar warmth, but he still started and flushed deeper, shooting her a guilty smile over his breakfast.

"Sorry, Mom," he murmured, and then, less than a moment later, he brightened up a little. "But I'm so excited! I met _All Might_ for _real,_ and he asked me to meet me again, and-" He cut himself off this time, embarrassed again, but beamed at Inko anyway.

"I'm happy for you, Izuku," Inko told him, earnestly sincere, leaning forward a little. "It's so incredible that I can hardly believe it! But if anyone deserves it, it's you." She gave her son a warm smile as he squirmed. "Whatever he has for you, do your best, okay?"

Izuku punched the air, eyes sparkling. "I will!" he promised immediately.

"And take care of yourself," Inko tacked on, smile fading as her sincerity sharpened into concern and intent. "Don't do anything you don't want to, and don't let yourself be discouraged by anybody. Try not to walk into any more dangerous situations like the day before yesterday-"

Izuku had to hold back a laugh, clapping a hand over his mouth. "I'll be careful, Mom," he promised again, much lighter. "Don't worry!"

"I always worry," Inko said ruefully. "You never make any rational decisions."

"Mom!" he protested, but he couldn't argue, really. He puffed and smiled a little, embarrassed, as little bells of laughter rang through the air, a few tones higher than her cheer. "I'll call you when I'm on my way back, alright? Then you can scold me right away if I do anything stupid."

"It never has the proper impact over the phone," Inko sighed, but despite her disappointed expression the sound of bells didn't fade. "I'll just have to wait for you to come home."

"Using my own quirk against me," Izuku lamented, stifling his smile only with his hand. After a moment, Inko's poker face broke as well, and they both laughed.

Within the hour, he took off, with his notebook tucked against his chest, more out of habit than because he really thought he'd need it. His own excitement made his heart beat quickly, and the whole way to the meeting place – _meeting place! –_ he thought up and discarded possibilities, each more wild and exciting than the last.

In the end, he didn't come to any conclusion. What reason could All Might possibly have to speak to him?

All Might was busy and working on a time limit, so it would likely be short, unless it was going to be something in private or with other people who knew, but Izuku had no training at all and very few special skills, did All Might want him to talk to someone or meet someone, or maybe he had forgotten, it was so spur-of-the-moment and Izuku was nobody at all-

"One of these days you're going to spill all your secrets by accident."

 _Dong-Dong-Dong,_ amusement like a grandfather clock. All Might's emotions came across the same in both forms, of course.

Izuku startled badly, head jerking up and bouncing slightly from foot to foot in his surprise. All Might raised an eyebrow at him, only a hint of a smile on his hollow face, but he was there.

"All Mi-" Alarm like a (very quiet) klaxon and he cut himself off, clapping a hand over his mouth. After a beat, he parted his fingers and continued, "You're here!"

"I am here," All Might confirmed, relaxing a little. "I am glad to see you looking better, by the way."

Izuku flushed and dropped his hand from his mouth.

"Y-yeah," he mumbled, mortified. He ducked his head a little, not meeting the man's eyes. All Might was not concerned.

"I am glad to see you here," All Might continued, and when he started walking, Izuku took it as his cue to follow. "Today is a day of great importance! But I cannot explain until we reach our destination." Izuku deflated a little, and All Might shot him another amused look. "While we walk, will you tell me your name, my boy?"

"Ah!" Izuku yelped, straightening up as he felt his entire face burn bright pink. "It's, ah- Midoriya Izuku." He shot All Might a tentative smile, latching onto the ease he felt from the hero.

"Quite plain," All Might commented, thoughtful rather than incriminating. "And you seem rather intelligent, from the contents of your notebook… among other things." A teasing lilt decorated his voice at the end.

Izuku squeaked for a few moments, trying to figure out something to say, and finally settled on, "I like to study." Then, under his breath in an uncontrollable ramble, "My quirk isn't physical and Kacchan didn't like me to play too closely with him, and Mom liked it when I stayed inside with her so I read a lot and watched a lot of hero videos and then I just-"

How wasn't All Might annoyed yet? He cut himself off with a wince, but All Might was only interested.

"It's a good quality in a hero," the tall man assured him, and then within moments, his emotions shifted. Izuku tilted his head, brows furrowing slightly.

The flavor was faint and unidentifiable, but rich, with only silence to accompany it. A form of pensiveness and anticipation, Izuku thought – the feeling of grandparents watching their grandchildren grow as they themselves aged and withered.

Izuku changed the subject.

"Can you eat candy?" he asked, already reaching into the pocket where he kept a handful.

A brief rasp like rubbing sandpaper, and All Might turned his head, bemused. "Why?"

Izuku cringed, looking away. "I mean, I just- sometimes I, um, I thought-"

"I can, in small quantities," All Might interrupted, saving him from himself, and Izuku stopped stammering. The rich taste faded, and something oddly like fondness replaced it. "The easier to digest the better, of course." And then he repeated, less abruptly, "Why do you ask?"

Izuku ducked his head a little and pulled a rice candy out of his pocket, offering it to All Might.

"I keep them for- for when people are having bad days, or think about bad things," he explained, stilted. "And you, um-" Long experience told him that his familiarity with the beat and pulse of emotions didn't make much sense to most people, even when he tried to explain.

Surprise rang briefly in the air, a single strike of a church bell, and then All Might took the candy, and as Izuku watched, unwrapped it and popped it in his mouth.

"You're a thoughtful boy, Midoriya," he said, and chuckled quietly as Izuku stammered again.

The conversation continued, but never approached the reason for meeting, which only made Izuku more and more rabidly curious as time went on. Eventually, they reached a tall office building, and All Might stopped.

"This is the agency of my former sidekick, Sir Nighteye," he explained, gesturing forward. Izuku couldn't quite hold back a little gasp of excitement, calling to mind what he knew of the hero and feeling the clean burst of All Might's pride and fondness across his tongue. "We'll be meeting him and his protégé here."

Izuku opened his mouth to ask a question, and then closed it, just a little apprehensive. _Why?_

All Might led the way into the building, and as soon as the door swung shut behind him, he swelled into his heroic muscle-bound form, flashing Izuku a broad smile possibly out of habit. Izuku swallowed, squashing down his awe only with effort.

Awkwardness swelled beside him as All Might led the way through the building, most of the man's foggy positive feelings swept aside by anxiety. Izuku stayed quiet, trying to puzzle it out – had they had a falling out? Were they meeting about a sensitive matter, did-

 _Dong,_ much quieter than before, and Izuku shut his mouth, realizing he'd been mumbling aloud.

He couldn't even control his babbling around _All Might._ No wonder his classmates made fun of him.

Finally, they reached an office, and All Might opened the door and went through first. Izuku tagged along after, peeking around him to get a good look inside.

There was Sir Nighteye, sitting behind a desk with his work out but not in progress, expression just as stern and mirthless as Izuku remembered of him. Kitty-corner to it, in a chair set sideways, there was a boy a few years older than Izuku, with a plain face and a uniform, buzzing just slightly with nerves, just enough to keep Izuku from making out what they were saying; the two of them were conversing quietly.

In the next moment, Nighteye glanced up, and deep-toned disapproval reverberated a shade louder than the blond boy's nervousness. The boy, meanwhile, craned around and started as he caught sight of All Might, but he didn't seem surprised.

"All Might," Nighteye greeted, and even his tone was just slightly dangerous. "You didn't say you'd be bringing anyone along."

All Might's awkwardness rose about three notches. Izuku cringed both independently and sympathetically.

"I, well…" All Might cleared his throat and gave Nighteye a winning smile. Nighteye was not won. "It was a last minute decision, you see-"

Nighteye tipped his head up and pinned All Might with a glare, and it was at about that time that the other boy – Nighteye's protégé, Izuku remembered – stood up and sidled over to Izuku, looking almost as awkward as Izuku felt.

"Hello," he greeted once he was close enough, and held out a hand. "I'm Togata Mirio."

Izuku shot him a nervous grin and shook his hand. "Midoriya Izuku," he returned, not quite meeting the other's eyes. "Do… you know what's going on?"

"Not a clue," Togata told him, but already his nerves seemed to be falling away, in sharp contrast to Izuku's, which were rising. He was even smiling. "Sir Nighteye said he wanted me to meet All Might, but he never told me why."

Izuku laughed nervously. "All Might didn't even tell me what we were doing until about half an hour ago," he said ruefully, and Togata snorted a little, with a ring of amusement just a tone higher than All Might's signature.

(Off to one side, All Might and Nighteye were speaking in quiet, terse tones, but Izuku couldn't hear what they were saying, and honestly, he was reluctant to try.)

"They must teach you not to tell anyone anything at Yuuei," he said, and Izuku relaxed a little with a laugh. Togata tilted his head slightly, caramel curiosity rising in place of the amusement, and continued, "How did you come to meet All Might? You aren't a student at Yuuei, I would have recognized you."

Izuku flushed. "Um-" How to explain that he'd grabbed onto All Might and hadn't let go without it sounding terrible?

A discordant _vrum_ made him start badly, and his head jerked up to look at All Might and Nighteye, who were almost uncomfortably close. Nighteye was still glowering, and with a quick, indrawn breath, Izuku counted out betrayal, frustration, worry on one side and then guilt, anxiety, obstinance on the other, amidst a tangle of complication and a taste like a precursor to rot.

They were fighting, but neither of them liked it.

"Excuse me," he said quietly, and to Togata's clear confusion, he skirted around the other boy and approached the two pro heroes, heart pounding in his chest.

Nighteye turned his glare on Izuku as the boy approached, and Izuku swallowed, but spoke anyway.

"I apologize for arriving unannounced," he started, pressing his hands together formally. With effort, he lifted his gaze to meet Nighteye's and felt his heart skip uncomfortably. (It felt too intimate, but sometimes it was necessary.) "I met All Might only very recently, so it was an extremely hasty decision. All Might holds you in such high regard, I'm sure he trusted your ability to adapt to anything." He offered the man a nervous smile even as the hero's eyes narrowed. "I haven't been told what the meeting is about, but I'll do my best not to disrupt it too much."

There was a long, lingering moment of silence, where none of the noticeable emotions changed.

And then the tension eased, and Nighteye stepped back. Izuku let out a breath, and beside him, All Might did as well, the ambient emotional intensity dropping about three levels.

"Introduce him," Nighteye said at last, stiff and still irritated. Togata, seeing the change, crossed over to meet them and took a place mirroring Izuku's, beside Nighteye.

All Might smiled, and his emotions lightened, half relief but not all.

"This is Midoriya Izuku," he explained, placing a hand on Izuku's shoulder. Izuku started, only just holding back a yelp. He glanced down at Izuku and added, "Midoriya, your quirk, if you would?"

"My… Oh!" Izuku flushed and glanced back to Nighteye, reaching over to fiddle with the spine of his notebook in discomfort. "My quirk is Open Heart. It's, um, an empathy quirk with elements of synesthesia."

Togata let out a little 'ah' of realization and shot Izuku a grin, his fist landing on his open palm in a gesture of sudden understanding.

Nighteye, on the other hand, was not impressed.

 _"Togata Mirio,"_ he said pointedly, "has been training with me for several months and has the quirk Permeation, which allows him to pass through objects and attacks."

Togata's pride tasted like oranges, tangy and sweet. The boy grinned a little, but his confusion, if anything, increased. Izuku had to agree; that was a rather- confrontational way of introducing him.

All Might, though, turned to Togata and flashed him a grin.

"It is a pleasure to meet you, Togata," he said, and Togata hastily returned the sentiment, only a few shades shy of being as star-struck as Izuku.

"Hm," Nighteye said, somehow dissatisfied, and then, "Sit."

Somewhat reluctantly, the four of them sat – Nighteye and Togata on one side, while All Might found and placed an extra chair in the moment it took for Izuku to (awkwardly, mortifyingly) realize he wasn't sure what to do, and the two of them sat opposite.

A quiet moment, and then All Might cleared his throat, swelled with apprehensiveness and anticipation- and powered down with a cough.

Togata leapt back up with a gasp, alarm sparking loudly in time with his worry, but Nighteye reached up and took his wrist and said, "It's fine, Togata, sit down."

Togata hesitated, looking at Izuku and then All Might and finally Nighteye, but seeing that no one else was concerned, he reluctantly sat back down, now more confused than alarmed but no less worried.

"Keep in mind," All Might said at last, as serious as he had been when warning Izuku of the hazards of heroism before, "that everything the two of you hear in this meeting is extremely secret. You cannot tell anyone."

Izuku and Togata exchanged a confused and worried look, and then Togata nodded and Izuku followed hastily. All Might cleared his throat, making a visible effort to straighten up, not giving away the pepper-burst of pain that resulted from the action.

"I am weakening," he declared solemnly, and Izuku stifled a gasp of alarm. "My injury-" He lifted his shirt to show Togata, who flinched away, eyes widening. "-which I received five years ago in a villain attack that was not disclosed to the public, makes it difficult for me to maintain my heroic form. Currently, I can only hold it for three hours, but it used to be longer. Eventually, I won't be able to maintain it at all and I will be forced to retire."

Nighteye's frustration magnified, but he didn't speak, or move. Togata and Izuku were both frozen, for all that Izuku had heard this part before.

And then All Might continued, his intensity breathtaking.

"I am going to disclose to you both the nature of my quirk. I repeat, you cannot tell _anyone."_

"I would never," Togata swore earnestly, and again, Izuku nodded quickly, leaning up slightly even as he held his breath.

"I was born Quirkless," All Might announced. Izuku's breath hitched, and his mouth opened slightly, tasting defiance, sobriety, the same faint rich flavor from before. Confidence, a low hum on the edge of hearing that didn't obscure his words. "My quirk, One For All, is a stockpile quirk, passed from person to person over generations. Currently, I am searching for a successor." He flashed Nighteye a look, unreadable in and of itself, but resonating with regret, guilt, and respect. "Nighteye was kind enough to help me in my search."

Irritation rang briefly from Nighteye, but it faded quickly into the background. "And still you obstruct my efforts to help," he deadpanned, and All Might coughed on a laugh, surprise and pain both flashing in turn. Then Nighteye turned and fixed Izuku with a glower, and then shifted his gaze to Togata, direct and much less accusing, more solemn. "It wouldn't be an easy task. The next holder of One For All would take All Might's place as the Symbol of Peace, reassuring the world with your very existence. You will need to be strong, skilled, and fearless."

Izuku swallowed.

Togata would be _perfect_ for this, he thought distantly, even with what little he knew of the boy.

His quirk, Permeation- it would be almost invincible paired with All Might's quirk, Izuku thought, distractedly making assessments and calculations with what he knew. And he had hardly shown any of his nerves when they'd arrived, sprang instantly to help when All Might powered down, and he'd been so reassuring when they'd both been nervous and uncertain at the beginning of the meeting, _obviously_ drawing strength from the simple need to be brave for another-

"This meeting was meant to be for All Might to meet with Togata," Nighteye added, irritated. Togata started. "I recommended you personally, so you would be considered above and ahead of any students he might encounter during the coming year at-" All Might coughed, and Nighteye stopped with a sigh.

Togata's mouth opened and closed, static shock and faint-berry awe clear and strong from him. His hands twitched almost together, as if to fidget, but he stopped them, keeping otherwise still as he struggled for words.

Izuku himself was almost blank with shock, save the acute, uncomfortable sense that he'd walked into a classroom where he did not belong and where everyone was several years older.

"I-" Togata cleared his throat, straightened up, and his nervousness outwardly vanished, replaced by a beam and confident eyes. "I'm honored, and whether or not you decide in my favor, All Might, I'll do my best."

All Might gave him a nod and a small smile, and he almost beamed. After a moment, he turned to Izuku, curiosity swelling up again.

"How _did_ you catch All Might's attention?" he asked, half-referring to an earlier question. "It must have been dramatic."

It was Izuku's turn to falter without words, and the longer he hesitated, the more he realized he had no real answer. It went beyond being a too-clingy fan, obviously, but _what_ he had done, he had no idea.

He ducked his head, but before he could attempt to explain this to dazzling Togata, All Might interrupted.

"My mind isn't at all made up," the man said firmly, as if he thought jealousy or rivalry might start to spring between them, though Izuku wouldn't dream of it. "I'm certain that you would both be excellent successors." A smile, crooked and somehow very different from the one in his hero form. "I just want to talk to you for a while."

* * *

 ***smile* Hopefully a little less rushed than the other two, eh? Though it went off the beaten track real quick. Let me know what y'all think! Thanks for reading, and please review!**


	4. Chapter 4

**A/N: I'm not dead and neither is this fic! I've been having trouble writing lately but I am STILL HERE. *fist pump***

 **Thank you to Addles28, GodAmongGods, Ljedwards04, XxMysticalLunarxX, VermilionShade, jordanlink7856, pikaree1, Freyridian, and guest for reviewing!**

 **Title: Registered Quirk: Open Heart**

 **Author: liketolaugh**

 **Rating: T**

 **Pairings: None**

 **Genre: Friendship/Adventure**

 **Warnings: None**

 **Summary:** **Inko liked to say that Izuku had always, in a way, had his quirk. From the time he was born, she told him, he'd cried when others cried, laughed when others laughed, and had a way of knowing when something was wrong. Sometimes when she was upset, he'd tug on her skirt, smile, and say, _"Happy please!"_**

 **Disclaimer: I don't own BNHA.**

* * *

"So I learned how to use my quirk on different parts of my body quickly and efficiently," Togata explained earnestly. He looked remarkably confident for how much nervous excitement was humming on Izuku's tongue like a fizzy candy; the sound droned steady a tone below his voice. Togata grinned. "My spatial awareness and proprioception have gotten really good, since I can't exactly see where I'm going."

Izuku didn't try to suppress his admiring smile, head tilted toward Togata as he listened. It was easy to see why Nighteye had picked him out as a potential successor; he stayed confident no matter what else he was feeling, and it reflected on those around him. Nighteye's frustration had calmed into a quiet pride with a flavor that played nice with Togata's nerves, softening them, and All Might was interested and impressed, long distracted from his earlier conflict with Nighteye.

Togata commanded attention without even trying, and his story of how he came to control his quirk – not the first prompt All Might had given but certainly not the last – made Izuku respect him all the more. He thought of his own attempts, nothing more than tracking heroes and their personalities and habits, and the qualities of villains in turn.

"Your persistence is impressive," All Might offered with a small smile. "Many would have given up, with a quirk that difficult to control."

Togata beamed at him, flattered and just a little embarrassed. "I'm stubborn," he said, with a touch of pride.

"A good quality in a hero," All Might agreed, and then turned to look at Izuku with a kind smile. Izuku jumped and tried not to look too guilty, swallowing. The depth of All Might's expectation didn't make _sense-_ "Tell us about how you learned to control your quirk, Midoriya."

Izuku ducked his head, color rising to his cheeks. Nighteye's pride gained a subtone of resentment, but Togata was curious. Izuku didn't want to be _disappointing,_ but in a group like this, how could he not be?

What should he even talk about? Togata's story had illustrated his stubbornness and his determination, but what did Izuku learn in the process of controlling his quirk? He got caught up in little things, thought too much-

"I used to cry a lot," he blurted out, and then flushed, humiliated. But he forged on. "I mean, more. It's the body's way of venting when there are too many chemicals in your brain. A-a-and, my empathy, it's not just emotions- I can hear and taste them too. It's how I tell other people's apart from mine, sort of." It was hard to explain. He studied the table between them, tapping his fingers together anxiously, and focused on All Might. Curiosity, interest. But why, why? "So I was crying all the time, and could taste half a dozen flavors, and hear sounds I knew were really emotions. A-and, it was a lot, all the time, is what I'm trying to say."

He swallowed. This wasn't coming out right.

"At your pace, Midoriya," All Might said reassuringly, reaching over to touch his shoulder lightly. Izuku nodded quickly, took a breath, and steadied himself. He sat up, but didn't lift his gaze.

"I had to learn to pick it apart," he continued, a little more confidently. "I started writing about people I knew – their personalities, the patterns their emotions made, and the relationships they had with others, how they wove together. I started keeping notebooks of them."

He shifted the notebook he held in example, and then let his mouth form an embarrassed smile.

"I did heroes, too, when I went to see the fights in person. I-I mean, not in their downtime, obviously, but they still respond to villains and civilians and people in danger, so-" He stopped, hesitated, and restarted again. "By the time I was about… eight, I think? I was mostly able to handle it, so I started trying to… help. When people were sad or scared, I'd try to find them and…" He shrugged and trailed off, confidence lost again. "I did what I could, I guess. I just- wish I could do more."

Just the thought helped a little. He was here because he wanted to be a hero, and All Might thought he could. And even if All Might didn't choose him to be his successor, he could still try. He just had to stay determined.

"You were clever about it," All Might complimented, and he was even impressed – Izuku had to hold back a squeak, delighted, and squeezed his notebook to his chest instead, cringing into himself. "It's just as important as pure persistence."

Izuku made a noise, and Nighteye cut in, "All well and good, but will he be able to hold himself together in the chaos of a battlefield?" Nighteye glanced at Izuku, irritation brewing. "It sounds like it's quite easy to become overwhelmed."

Izuku took a moment, and faltered- not startled by the suggestion itself, but rather by the flare of anger that welled up in response. Not anyone else's – his own. He set his jaw and lifted his head again, looking at Nighteye with as much steel as he could muster.

"I've had my quirk as long as anyone else has," Izuku reminded him tersely. He wanted to cross his arms, but pushed his notebook against his lap instead, frustrated. "And I look for villain fights all the time. I know how to handle myself."

A warm flavor spiked in the air again, recognizable as All Might's, but Izuku kept his eyes on Nighteye, as close to defiant as he'd been all day.

"It isn't as if fear and pain are reserved for villain fights," Izuku added, sitting up straighter when it became clear Nighteye wasn't convinced. "I have neighbors who argue almost every day, and there's always someone crying in the bathroom at school, and there are so many strangers I come across who are upset or overwhelmed and still out and about-" Izuku stopped himself, and took a deep breath, ducking his head a little as his face colored involuntarily. "It doesn't matter who gets One for All. I'm going to be a hero, even if I have to work my way up from the bottom."

He took a beat to steady himself, and then, still bright pink and looking at the table, he reached out. Togata was impressed again, and the tone of his interest was once again so similar to All Might's they were almost indistinguishable. Nighteye, meanwhile, had lost most of his doubt (but not quite his resentment) and was all the lighter for it, if a little resigned.

"It is as admirable a reason as any other," All Might offered, a small grin on his face even as Nighteye's emotions evened out. Izuku's embarrassment intensified, and All Might chuckled, almost covered by the deep gonging of his amusement. A moment later, All Might took pity on him. "Togata, what made you want to be a hero?"

"Ah!" Surprise, and then embarrassment. "Well, it's nothing special. I've always admired heroes a lot, of course! I played heroes and villains same as any other kid, and eventually I decided that I wanted to save people for real." Earnestness, salty-sweet, bloomed out, and when Izuku peeked up Togata was smiling confidently, elbows on the table and hands clasped under his chin. "I've learned a lot about the realities of heroism at Yuuei, but I haven't changed my mind. If anything, it's made my resolve stronger!" He grinned. "My hero name is Lemillion, because I'm going to save a million people!"

All Might laughed out loud, and his head bobbed in a brief nod. "A wonderful name and a wonderful goal," he encouraged, and Togata beamed at the praise.

"He is a lot like you, All Might," Sir Nighteye pointed out, and with a tilt of his head, Izuku noticed that while his voice was deceptively patient, he was tense with anticipation. "In his idealism and his enthusiasm."

"I can see what you mean," All Might agreed, giving Togata a smile and a nod of acknowledgement.

Izuku could almost _hear_ Togata's heart skip a beat, and nervousness, normally soft and buzzy, yelped from him like a bolt of surprise that made Izuku jump as well and clap a hand to his mouth to stifle an actual yelp, drawing all eyes to him.

Izuku smiled nervously and let his hand curl into a fist in front of his mouth.

"H-he's got some of Nighteye in him too, don't you think?" he offered hopefully. "He does his best to think things through, a-and be practical with his ideals." Oh no, was that insulting to All Might? It wasn't that he didn't-

All Might chuckled, cutting off his train of thought. "That as well," he confirmed.

Togata relaxed enough that Izuku nearly gave up a sigh of relief, and the other boy shot him a grin. "Thank you, Midoriya!" he said, cheerfulness restored. "I do my best!"

Izuku smiled back and glanced at All Might, who seemed thoughtful again, eyes on him for just a moment before Togata cleared his throat, looking back at the number one hero.

With a bemused little smile on his face and a slight tilt to his head, Togata said, "Not to appear impatient or arrogant, All Might… but in my experience, Yuuei doesn't judge their students by sitting down and talking. Is there… another test you had planned for us?"

Izuku sat up, looking at All Might in question with wide, expectant eyes.

All Might chuckled quietly, a faint fwip-shuffle sound of abashment coming off of him.

"You're right, of course," he acknowledged wryly. "That isn't all we have for you two."

He glanced at Nighteye, who sighed.

"It was planned just for _Togata,"_ he said, with a pointed weight to the name that made embarrassment spike up in Togata himself. "But it will do just as well with the two of you, I suppose."

* * *

 **The chapter is a little questionable, but I kind of wrote myself into a corner. *laugh* Next chapter should be more interesting! (And I'm less likely to try to rewrite it three different ways.) Thanks for your patience, and please review!**


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